Pompey’s F350 Tremor

[Pompey]

I'm super surprised the Ranger's payload is 1000-1300kgs. Here it is 1430 lbs.

Here the Ranger doesn’t have to make room for a super duty. Or F150. I have a Ranger already, with the 3.2 litre turbo diesel. It has had the upgrade to 1300kg payload and handles it well, although acceleration isn’t that great.

 

[Loshad]

"I'm super surprised the Ranger's payload is 1000-1300kgs. Here it is 1430 lbs."

The Aussies told Ford

"If you're bringing that in 'ere, mate, you've got to 'arden it the fuck up!

 

[erikswedberg]

It’s worth it for me because I’ll be towing something that requires something like a Tremor. A Ranger or a hilux legally simply won’t be able to do it and even if it could do it legally would just struggle far too much.

I'm going to try asking around, but who do you recommend for shipping and conversion?

https://vdc.com.au ?

How much roughly are shipping, taxes, and conversion?

 

[Pompey]

I have no idea what the shipping and other costs are. I was given a n end price not included on road costs. I went with VDC in Melbourne. I test drove one from VDC and the other from performax in Queensland and the VDC one drove better and look better around the dashboard. The general consensus of those who have done this thing before is that VDC does the best job. Apparently VDC have a tie up with ford Which I think can only be beneficial

 

[Pompey]

When I ordered the Tremor I also ordered the caravan the Tremor has been bought to tow. So the van will be a vital part of the F350 Tremor package. Unfortunately, the lead time for the particular offr caravan I want is around 15 months. here are some photos of what the van should look like. It’s going to be around 23-24 feet long (i haven’t decided yet and won’t need to till next year) and weigh around 4,000 to 4,500 kgs. I am looking at getting around 900 watts of solar, 600 or 900 Ah lithium batteries and around 1,000 litres of water. Auto and manual adjustable load sharing airbag suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes. Heavy duty steel chassis and all metal frame with fibreglass cladding.

 

[Basso]

You are buying a quality van. We have taken ours across the Gary Junction Rd and had no problems with it. Love it. Enjoy!

Cheers
Mark

 

[Pompey]

You are buying a quality van. We have taken ours across the Gary Junction Rd and had no problems with it. Love it. Enjoy!

Cheers
Mark

Maybe we should meet up once I have my van and you have your tremor.

 

[Basso]

Sounds like a plan. We are missing not using our van and being back in the tent.

 

[Pompey]

I have a tentative delivery date of the 23rd of September. Apparently there has been a production delay due to a supply of resin for the dashboards not being delivered. In the meantime, I have been busy felling trees to make way for the shed to be used for housing both the F350 and the caravan. Measuring 9 metres wide and 13 metres wide with 4 metre high walls, it will more than adequately hold them both. after we felled the trees, the earthmoving equipment levelled the area where the concrete slab and shed will go.

 

[Accuracy International]

@Pompey how are you doing, Mate? Here in the states it appears things are getting a little crazy over on your side of the world. I hope you get that Tremor soon!

 

[Pompey]

@Pompey how are you doing, Mate? Here in the states it appears things are getting a little crazy over on your side of the world. I hope you get that Tremor soon!

Things are going well. I am a little impatient in getting the Tremor of course. I live in a rural area so I am not greatly affected by the idiotic, cruel and selfish decisions of our politicians compared to those in other areas. Life is pretty normal although freedom of movement into and out of the state has been taken from us although I have freedom of movement within the state for now. We did really well in dealing with this China virus last year (less than a thousand deaths nation wide) but this year not so well. Politicians are too scared to open back up and because we had so few deaths and because of a politically inspired and media promoted beat up, take up of the AZ vaccine stalled. Some state premiers won’t open state borders and won’t say when they will. Including my state premier. Even though they all previously agreed when they would. Our PM has been weak up until recently so that certainly hasn’t helped. So yes, it has been a bit crazy but others are doing it a lot, lot tougher than I am.

 

[stufarmer]

thats a cool trailer ..

 

[Pompey]

When I ordered the Tremor I also ordered the caravan the Tremor has been bought to tow. So the van will be a vital part of the F350 Tremor package. Unfortunately, the lead time for the particular offr caravan I want is around 15 months. here are some photos of what the van should look like. It’s going to be around 23-24 feet long (i haven’t decided yet and won’t need to till next year) and weigh around 4,000 to 4,500 kgs. I am looking at getting around 900 watts of solar, 600 or 900 Ah lithium batteries and around 1,000 litres of water. Auto and manual adjustable load sharing airbag suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes. Heavy duty steel chassis and all metal frame with fibreglass cladding. View attachment 29030View attachment 29031

Delivery of the van has been delayed till early December. I’ll be going to the factory in a couple of months to check out the build and to drop off some cabling for the Starlink. I will be using Starlink to provide internet coverage in my travels. While a large part of northern Australia isn’t yet covered, the coverage area is growing and hopefully the rest of the country will be covered some time next year.

By having access to Starlink I won’t bother with a sat phone, and will use my mobile phone over wifi. I will still get a PLB. It pays to have a backup just in case.

 

[Loshad]

"I will still get a PLB. It pays to have a backup just in case."

I recommend the ACR Bivy Stick. Stupid name but they're marketing them to hikers and climbers. ACR is a trusted name in the marine and aviation world. The Bivy Stick is reasonably priced and they don't gouge you on service plans. Here you have to signup for 4 months minimum but unused 'credits' can carry over and after 4 months you can stop and re-start your service without paying an activation fee. That's a really good deal, especially if you're not going to use it for a month or longer. The other big benefit is that it can be used with or without your mobile. Without the mobile it will send a pre-programmed message to as many as 6 recipients that all is well and your position. With the mobile you can send any message plus there are weather reports you can access.

 

[Pompey]

"I will still get a PLB. It pays to have a backup just in case."

I recommend the ACR Bivy Stick. Stupid name but they're marketing them to hikers and climbers. ACR is a trusted name in the marine and aviation world. The Bivy Stick is reasonably priced and they don't gouge you on service plans. Here you have to signup for 4 months minimum but unused 'credits' can carry over and after 4 months you can stop and re-start your service without paying an activation fee. That's a really good deal, especially if you're not going to use it for a month or longer. The other big benefit is that it can be used with or without your mobile. Without the mobile it will send a pre-programmed message to as many as 6 recipients that all is well and your position. With the mobile you can send any message plus there are weather reports you can access.

Cheers, I’ll look into it.

 

[Pompey]

I got the truck back this afternoon. 2 days ahead of time. Seems the truck was too big and taking up too much room. Nice when being too big is an advantage. All looks good.

 

[Pompey]

Next on my list of things to add is a mobile phone signal booster.

Over Easter I was speaking to a mate who had one installed in his Toyota 79 Series. He found it to be most useful on his trip to the top of Cape York Peninsula. I will have to install it a bit like a CB radio. The aerial is somewhat thicker than a CB aerial, and will be 1.2m high on a spring base. There is also an interior aerial but other than that it just plugs into a cigarette lighter.

 

[Pompey]

Aerial arrived today for the mobile phone signal booster. Mounted it on the bullbar next to the CB aerial. Routed it with the CB aerial coax to the firewall, then made a hole in the firewall, added a grommet and sealed it all up. I had to remove the wheel well lining to do this. Ran the cable through to the back seat area. Still waiting on the booster…

 

[Pompey]

Finally installed the booster this morning. Normally I can’t use my phone in the truck on my driveway and until I’m kilometre or so up the road. Today I rang a mate at the top of the driveway and could maintain a phone call all the way through the dead zone and back again. So it definitely works and recommended for those in areas with poor mobile phone coverage with dropouts.

 

[Potato Wilson]

Aerial arrived today for the mobile phone signal booster. Mounted it on the bullbar next to the CB aerial. Routed it with the CB aerial coax to the firewall, then made a hole in the firewall, added a grommet and sealed it all up. I had to remove the wheel well lining to do this. Ran the cable through to the back seat area. Still waiting on the booster…View attachment 61293

Awesome "Roo Bars"! That's gotta be just about the baddest Ford in Australia!